Intel Releases Export-oriented Gaudi 3 AI Chips for China

(AsianFin)—Intel has launched two models of its Gaudi 3 AI accelerator tailored for the Chinese market.

The disclosure of these two models, known as the HL-328 and HL-388, available for sale in China, is outlined in Intel's Gaudi 3 whitepaper released on April 9. These processors, designed specifically for China, come in the OAM and PCIe form factors, with the HL-328 set to launch in June and the HL-388 in September, alongside the other PCIe form-factor Gaudi 3.

In terms of specifications, both the HL-328 and HL-388 resemble their counterparts, featuring 128GB of HBM2e VRAM with 3.7TB/s of bandwidth, 96MB of cache, PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, and standard decoding capabilities.

Although not explicitly mentioned in the whitepaper, it's highly likely that these modifications were made to comply with the U.S. government's export controls on processors.

In recent years, the United States has been escalating tech battle by cutting China off from AI chips. The Biden administration is tightening rules to keep advanced chips and manufacturing gear out of China, seeking to close loopholes that might help the world’s second largest economy and its geopolitical rival gain cutting-edge technologies.

On April 11, 2024, the United States is adding four Chinese companies to an export blacklist for seeking to acquire AI chips for China's military.

On March 29, 2024, BIS updated its export restriction measures, including the implementation of a "case-by-case review" for U.S. exports of AI semiconductor products to China.

On December 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce said it will launch a survey of the United States semiconductor supply chain and national defence industrial base to address national security concerns from Chinese-sourced chips.

On October 17, 2023, BIS released two interim final rules amending the Export Administration Regulations to further strengthen export controls on advanced computing items, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and items that can support end uses related to the development and production of supercomputers, advanced-node integrated circuits and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

On October 7, 2022, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced dramatic revisions to its export controls on semiconductor technology, intended to foreclose China's ability to obtain high-end semiconductor chips, technology, manufacturing equipment, and know-how.

On August 9, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law to bolster America's competitiveness in semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research.

The U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo once said that China cannot be allowed to obtain the most complex, advanced, and powerful AI chips, as it poses a threat to national security.

In response to these moves, Mao Ning, the spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on April 11 said China strongly opposes U.S. abuse of entity list and other export controls to go after Chinese companies, and urges the U.S. to stop politicizing trade and tech issues and turning them into weapons. China will do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.